Hey...Back again! Does anyone take Vitamin K2 drops?

[Hey___]

With Cirrhosis I have looked online and found this supplement that helps liver regeneration...I dunno, anything for a healthier one I guess!! Does anyone have experience with this Vitimin? I am into my sixth month of sobriety now and my Endoscopy results are okay, a few skirmishes..a hernia with a funny name and grade 1 varices. My liver is badly damaged but I thought if there was any regeneration in me would this help?....Thank you as always!

[AyrshireK]

A big word of warning - DO NOT buy and take any supplements without running it past your doctor first. In some cases taking more of a substance than you need can actually be harmful to your body and as it's your liver that needs to process all these 'supplements' you could do it more harm than good. You only need supplements (prescribed) if you are actually deficient in a substance.

Even well known high street 'Health Food Store' Holland & Barrett points out :- "It’s not yet clear what too much Vitamin K2 can do to the body; more research is required to clarify the consequences. If you are low in Vitamin K2, you should be able to raise your levels by eating Vitamin K2 foods or by taking a supplement." (Therefore it is potentially, possibly dangerous).

There are easier and cheaper ways of getting additional K2 in your diet buy eating various food stuffs (but Holland & Barrett even here issues a warning about the potential for too much K2 potentially causing harm).

Vitamin K2 foods

1. Natto (fermented soy)

Natto happens to have extremely high Vitamin K2 levels. It reportedly contains around 15 times more Vitamin K2 than the best hard cheese sources and 200 times more than the fermented cabbage dish, sauerkraut.

2. Dark meat

For example, the darker parts of chicken, such as the leg or the thigh.

3. Fermented cheeses

Cheese like Edam, Gouda or cheddar and blue cheese all contain lots of Vitamin K2 that’s been created by bacteria during the production process.

4. Egg yolks

Poached or hard boiled, however you have them, egg yolks in particular are a good source of Vitamin K2.

Note – Milk and butter that’s produced by grass-fed cows reportedly contains more Vitamin K2 than milk and butter that’s produced by cows that eat grains. The level of Vitamin K2 in cheese depends on what’s produced by the cheese cultures.

Summary

It’s possible to boost Vitamin K2 levels naturally by eating lots of Vitamin K2 foods. You may want to eat them in moderation though because there’s currently no guidance on daily intake levels for Vitamin K2.

Check with your consultant - OTC, Herbal and Supplementary things are not necessarily SAFE for your liver and in some cases actually dangerous.

Katie

[Hey___ in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi Katie...Thank you for your reply. It has got to the point where I look elsewhere because my consultant at the hospital has missed my last 2 phone consultations and I have had no correspondence from my GP surgery. I took myself to the emergency assessment unit with dvt and managed to get an appointment through them for Endoscopy and one for a Haemotologist. I am so pleased I posted on here because Amazon could have delivered it tomorrow but I didn't go ahead with the purchase. Living with a now compensated liver is really tough most days and I am nearly 2 years after decomp.

I am so pleased you are still on here and your advice is very much appreciated...Mark

[AyrshireK]

British Liver Trust page about Complementary & Alternative Remedies - britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

[Richard-Allen]

What Katie has said is true. When our liver becomes damaged, there is a natural response to want to make it better. This is especially true if the damage has to a certain extent been self-inflicted through alcohol-abuse.

I’ve been there too. After my variceal bleed, I thought of taking iron supplements, my thinking was that I know that the liver was a rich source of iron, so my thinking was more iron might make it better. I mentioned this to the consultant before doing anything.

He told me that there can often be more iron stored in a damaged liver than in a healthy one. He went on to say that the liver can also be short on iron, as in anaemia. So, had I started to take supplements, I could have ended up doing more harm than good.

Sadly there are plenty of people out there who will try and prey on your vulnerability at this worrying time. They will make bold claims, and use words like “Liver Detox”. And make unproven claims. One I’ve seen even says it can help reverse liver cirrhosis.

There is no cure for liver disease (at this time). There’s no magical elixir that can only be found in the mountains of Peru. So, the advice is to save your money and try not to do or take anything that will cause even more damage to your liver.

Liver Detox. The liver's job is to detox the body and not your wallet.

[Hey___ in reply to Richard-Allen]

Hi Richard...Thank you for your reply. Understandably most of my damage is self inflicted and I am also aware how vulnerable the liver is to further damage and not just by alcohol. If you read my reply to Katie you can see where I am at with my treatment. I have become self seeking with this terminal disease and it shouldn't be that way. I would still like to go to the mountains of Peru just because they look amazing!!

All my best wishes...Mark

[Aotea2012]

Be very careful of taking anything that hasn’t been prescribed by your doctor. Damaged livers need careful diets and hopefully you’ll have the support of a dietician. They will help you balance your dietary intake and make sure that you are getting what you need from your diet. Your doctor may prescribe/recommend supplements such as multivits or B vitamins. Avoid anything else. There are no magic bullets to miraculously heal your liver. A balanced healthy diet, no alcohol and a reasonable amount of exercise are the best tonics for your liver.

[Hey___ in reply to Aotea2012]

Hi Aotea...Thank you for your response. I am alcohol free and living as healthy as I can. I spoke to a dietician last year on the phone and she gave me practical tips in maintaining a healthy liver. Would you suggest seeking a fully qualified dietician that is independent? I only take Thiamine as a supplement but I believe I may need multi B vitamins.

I like the magic bullets comment too!..Thanks again...Mark

[chrisw740]

Mark

I just want to add (alongside the great replies above) that you mentioned being on blood thinners (two months ago) and vitamin K is believed to interact with them and so is often contraindicated when taking various anticoagulants.

Best

Chris

[Hey___ in reply to chrisw740]

Hi Chris...OMG thank you so much for that information!! Before sending my post I nearly bought some on Amazon. Well something in me told me not to and I am so grateful for your response. I am still on blood thinners and will be indefinitely now. All the best...Mark

[Kitty1957]

hi this thread has been very helpful & I’m so glad I recently joined this forum. When I was diagnosed with severe fatty liver in march the hospital and my GP just signed me off as I was still drinking. I’ve managed to almost stop completely and like you am seeking to get my liver healthier. Been told milk thistle is not recommended but apple cider vinegar is and just taking thiamine and vitamin B strong that we’re prescribed whilst drinking. I will go back to my GP for support as it could be easy to do more harm by us self medicating. So the advice here is sound. All the best with your liver

[Kitty1957]

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...